Electrically illuminated advertising device



G. H. RUFL .2,471,902

ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVRTISING DEVICE May 31, 1949.

Mmmm n) o o e o di mv G 1 P, i fdi 5M ATTONEY May 31, 1949. G. H. RUF-Lia:V l 2,471,902

ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 3, 1946 l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 .llllu 1I In lll'ml..

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f INVENTOR GEORGE/74 Huf-L5 .A TTORNE'Y May 31, 1949. G. H. Rui-'LE 2,471,902

ELECTRILCALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed oct. 5, 194e I 11 sheets-sheet s FIG. 3.

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INVENTOR. @50H65 H Huf-LE ATTORNEY May 31, 1949. G. H. RUFLE ELEGTRICALLY ILLUMINATED AADVERTISING DEVICE 1l Sheets-She@t 4 Fild oct, 3, 1946 Mm@ y@ 6150065 /zUFLE May 31, 1949. G. H. RUFLE ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE 1l Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 3, 1946 l [Niv/ENTOR.

GEORGE/75 uFL/S TTOHNEY May 31, 1949. G. H. RUFLE ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE 1l Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 3, 1946 N Q3 IN VEN TOR 50H65 H Huf-Lf ATTURNEY INVENTOR.

G. H. RUFLE ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE mfwm.

May 31, 1949.

Filed oet. 5, 194e ATTORNEY' May 31, 1949. G. H. RUFLE 2,471,902

ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1946 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG/4l. @@@f 5;

, wmf? QQ@ A TTORZE Y May 31, 1949. G. H. RUFLE 2,471,902

ELECTRICALLY 4ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Oct. 5, 1946 FIG. l5. Fla/6.

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ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed oct. :5, 194e 11 sheds-sheet 1o IN VEN TOR. @50H65 /vf Huf-LE @EMME ATTORNEY vlay 31, 1949. f G. H. RUFLE 2,471,902

ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed oct. 5, 19,46 A 11 sheets-sheet, 11

IN VEN TOR. G50/Q65 H HUF/E Patented May 3 1, 1949 PATENT OFFICE `ELECTRICLLY ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE GeorgeH. Ru'fle, Laurelton, N.Y.

,Application October 3, 1946, Serial No. 701,044

This inventionrelates'to animated signs ofthe kind in which a pluralityo'f electrically energized sources of illumination, suchY as electric lamps, are adapted to be selectively illuminated to depict figures or letters 4for Aadvertising or amusement Purposes.

One objeetof the invention is anA instrumentality by which selected lamps of the lsign may lbe illuminated.

Another object of the invention is to illuminate `thelamps ofthe sign to depict moving guresor indicia.

A further object of `theinvention is apparatus ylay-Which predeterminedlamps in asignmay be illuminated in accordance with a preconceived pattern.

Itis also an objectrofthe'invention to provide what may be considered pattern plates so constructed and arranged las to actuate orenergize circuit closing devices lcontrolling the flow of electric current to vselected electric lamps, in order to create va designby the illuminationof such selected lamps.

Still another object of'the invention is to change the color lof predetermined 'light areas controlled by given circuit vclosing devices.

In my previous Patent 2,210,382, granted August 6, 1940, I disclosed and claimed an animated sign having aplurality of `electrical energized sources of illumination, such as lamps, connected with a source of electrical energy in which the lamps are` selectively energized bybeingindividually connected withthe source of electrical energy by circuit completing devices comprising, 'for instance, conductive Lelements whereof portions are made conductive according toy a preconceived arrangement or design to correspond to sources of illumination to'be rendered operative.

`In the attainment of such object, `conductive plates were provided whereof the surface'was `insulated in a predetermineddesign so that when plates were brought intofcontaet with'a-bank of circuit closers, such as reciprocating circuit closing rods or plungers, the electrical contact would be effected only by a contact plunger rod or -rods or other elements in vthat area which was free from insulation.

The invention also sought an animated sign `which is practical from the standpointcf -easeof manufacture, and convenience and practicability in use.

These andother objects 'of the invention and the means for Atheir attainment will be more apparent from tlsle'following detailed description taken in connection with the yaccompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments by which the invention 'may 'be realized, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view infront elevation showing a series of circuit'closingdevices in accordance with this invention and illustrated as energizing a bank of lights;

Fig. 2is a view looking'from the left in Fig. I1 and showing the apparatus by which pattern plates vare conveyed to the position at which they make contact with circuit closing devices so as to control a bank or banks of lights;

Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1 and showingdetails of the mechanism by which the circuit closing pattern plates are moved seriatim to circuit closing position and then moved to make contactwith the circuit closing plungers which are l'electrically connected to the respective lamps'of a bank'of lights;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale showing the structure at the left-hand end of Fig. 3 and the actuation ofthe circuit closing instrumentalities and the structureV by which pattern plates 4are conveyed andactuated as well as the advancing device at the advanced position;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken in the plane indicatedbythe line i5-'Bof Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View in vertical section of the structure by which the belt is stripped from the con'- tacts at the completion of a circuit closing operation;

Fig. "7 is a plan viewshowing the 4plate advanc- ,ing instrumentalities in their return to initial position;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the advancing device in its initial position;

Fig. 9 is a view Vshowingthe movement of the advancing device latch in'returning to initial position inthe returnl movement of" the advancing devices;

Fig. 10 is a'timing-diagram ofthe various cams;

Fig. 11 is a View inf-front elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing,indetail, two circuit closing instrumentalities of the structure illustrated 'in Fig. 1 wherein the bank of contacts at the right- Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing one of the circuit closing contact plates of this invention whereof the area of the iigure represents the exposed or electrically conductive area;

Fig. 14 is a view showing a plurality of banks of circuit closing instrumentalities operatively connected with individual banks of lights whereby changes in the color of specic areas of a sign board may be effected;

Fig. 15 shows a complete figure comprised of areas of lights of different colors controlled by the apparatus shown in Fig. 14;

Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 19 show in series the different areas of banks of lights selectively i1- luminated in different colors whereby the complete illustration of Fig. 16 is attained;

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic vview of the electrical connections whereby the lights of the animated sign are lighted;

Fig. 21 is a view showing a means by which a llong chain or vbelt madeup of the plates shown in Figs. 16-19 is conveyed from one end of the apparatus of this invention to the other end where the plates start through the apparatus; and

Fig. 22 is a transverse section of the table similar to Fig. 12 in whichan alternate means by which the sensing pins may be mounted so as to include more sensing pins per unit area is shown.

In carrying this invention into effect, a sign board has mounted thereon in some convenient fashion a plurality of electrical light bulbs arranged in columns and rows. The light bulbs ony the sign can all be of one color or they may be of a multitude of colors arranged in a definite repeating pattern. When the respective bulbs are differently colored respectively, a figure may be created on the sign in which the different areas making up the whole are of diierent colors. In order to create such a figure from a plurality of colored lights, all lights of one color must be associated withy one control means.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a fragmentary portion of a sign board 3011s illustrated which may, for instance, be mounted upon the outside of a building, not shown, and may be of any suitable shape and construction to meet the requirements of a particular locationThis sign board 30 has mounted thereon, in some convenient fashion a plurality of sockets 32, each of which is adapted to receive an electrical lamp, not shown. As shown in Figs. 1 and 14, each socket 32 is provided with quadruple contact points 33 severally connected through lines 31 to corresponding sensing pins 38. Preferably, such a sign 30 will be provided with a large number of electrical bulbs arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, as is now the practice in electrical flashing signs and the like, although other arrangements of the sources of illumination'are within the purview of this invention. .Such a sign 30 may carry as'many as 5,000 or more electric light bulbs removably mounted in lamp sockets 32- on the sign.' `One terminal 34 of all the sockets 32 is connected by a wire 35 to a source of electrical energy, illustrated schematically in Fig. 1 at 36. Each of the terminals 33 of each of 'the respective lamp sockets 32 isconnected by an `individual wire 31 to ascnhsing pin 38 located in one of the circuit. operating units 40. In Fig. 1,

,four such units are shown mounted within a frame 42. The top part of each unit has a table v44 in which is mounted a plurality of sensing pins 38. One such sensing pin is provided for each bulb upon the sign. All sensing pins connected to electric bulbs of'one color are` grouped together within one table. Therefore, it may be seen, as many circuit closing units 40 as there are different colored bulbs must be provided.

Each circuit closing unit has a conducting plate 46 which travels between the sensing pins and a conducting block 41, see Fig. 4. To complete the electrical circuit the conducting block 41 of each circuit closing unit 40 (Fig. 1) is connected by means of wires 48 to the power source 36.

If portions of the conducting plate 46 are covered with an insulating material, no current can iiow through the sensing pins 38 which come in contact with this insulating material, and, therefore, those light bulbs which are associated with those sensing pins 38 separated from the conducting plate 46 by the insulation material will not be illuminated. By conforming the layer of insulation to a pattern, the illuminated sign will reveal this pattern. By arranging a series of conducting plates 46 each with a slightly different pattern, and continually substituting one conducting plate 46 for another between the sensing pins 38 and the conducting plate, in a manner to be described later, the sign will reveal the patterns on the conducting plates and further the. pattern on the sign will move or become animated. In order to create a moving figure comprising areas of different colors, the insulating material on the series of conducting plates 46 which are substituted seriatim between the sensing pins 38 and conducting block 41 of the circuit closing units 48 which controls the particular color must likewise be of continually changing outlines.

The conducting plates 46 are joined together to form a continuous, iiexible belt 5|. This belt 5| is intermittently moved between the group of sensing pins 38 and the conducting block 41 in a manner now to be described. As shown, in Fig. 2. the belt 5| is caused to travel along the runners 52 of the frame 42 by means of chains 54 travelling around sprockets 56, 51 and 58, 58. An electric motor 60 drives a pulley 62 by means of a belt 63. A gear 64 is mounted on the same shaft as pulley 62 and drives a gear 66 mounted on shaft 61. Gear 66 drives an idler gear 68 mounted on a shaft 69. The idler gear 68 drives a second gear 10 mounted on a drive shaft 1|. The three gears 66, 68 and 16 are of the same diameter and thereby shaft 1| and shaft 61 turn at the same speed.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 8, the chains 54 and 54 are provided at spaced intervals with lugs 84 which are adapted to enter registering apertures in the belt 5|. The chains 54 and 54 are advanced and thereby the belt 5| is advanced. A feed cam 14 midway'between the runners 52 is mounted on the shaft 1| and bears against a reciprocating follower 15 which is mounted on two bars 16 and 11 mounted below and parallel to the runners 52. The follower 15 is pressed against the feed cam 14 by springs 83 and 83'. Arms 18 on follower 15 extend upwardly adjacent the beltadvancing chains 54 and 54' and are provided with pivoted latches comprising levers 19 pivotally mounted at 80. The pivoted lever 19 is provided with a horizontal plate 8| which is spring pressed by spring 82 in the direction of the travel of the chains 54 and which engages a slot 13 in the lug 12 on the chain in order to advance the chain in a step-by-step movement.

As the feed cam 14 rotateson shaft 1|, the chain 54 is advanced a distance equal to the thrust of the feed cam 14, this distance corresponding to the distance between the patterns on the belt 5| as shown in Fig. 4. On its return movement, the

latchplate 8| is withdrawn from the slot 13 mez/15u02 within. the. lug-,f 12v and i ridesovert theqnext.` 'lug h2 j behind-f the. one.: with which r it4 was last engaged,

ina :lntmnerfas:shown-I inlg. Bhe chainfadavancingfmemherfhaving travelled this distance ibackwardly, engages .theylugfu on, the. chain; 54

immediately therehehindyso` that onthe next `revolution. ofrthefeed cam 1.4 the belt will be.. ad?- Vvaricedfz'one stepmurther.

A lock` is:` provided whereby. the chains: lirand '15M are. heldf` in xe'df position for the; periodici tmeiduring whichflthe circuits. are closed, and to thisfend; latches E,areurgedfintdengagement. be.n tween. the teethfof.Iv theasprockets--Efandx 51 therebylocking the.. sprockets and-the. chain against movenient'.A during the circuit-:closing operation. .Asshownz in. Fig. 7; thelocking; device. comprises :aM-shapedzcrossfheadfzslidably.mountedfenthe =same1two-bars 15 andi 1:1:on-1which-is-.rnountedf the chainfadyancing. means. On either side. off-this cmssrheadg 85: two lugs: are-adapted: to. engage athefteeth` ofthe two` sprockets 55 and-.5?, `anti thereby locking the sprockets. lllwo` nollers i3?! andatamxed: to thecross-head 85 ane` adapted. to ride against two like cams 89, 9.9 turning.- `on the shaft 1.1. fIheV crossehead 85 is provided with `twousprings. 91;, 9|' acting against the irameff l which forces; the, cross-.head against the. vcams 99 andlSi Thusas shaft 1I turns, the cross-head '85 will: `reciprocate, engaging and disengaging This reciprocating cross-.head1 is formed ina Veshapein order: to

`provide cleananceiorthe feed cam 1A as i-t rotates.

Referring again to Figs. 3, 4 andS, in orderto 1prevent'the plate changing operation to. register onthe sign, a means is provided to `break the siectricall circuit during movement-ot thebelt Thecircuit--breaking is performed by lowering the.l insulated block-'49 which supports thetcon- `ducting block 41 and thereby lowering the-conducting platen46or` belt 5:! thus severing contact between. the, conducting plate 46 and. the sensing pins 38. As-shown, the shaft 61 carries two cams y 192i and 93. which rotatein a clockwise directiomas viewed in Fig. `3, and `the Acams- 92` and' iicause a follower `94 to be lowered and raised. The iollower-SL `when lowered, lowers-the conducting the sensing cams. 'diagramiillustratesftlfie relative movement of: the respective followers. In this chart the distance moved by theioljlowr-S plotted against the degrees of revolution of the cam. Referring rst to the curve indicated for the iced. Gam, it will be noted that-during the nrst 189 of reyolution,the can; continually auf Varices. the fol-lower and. that during the Subsef quent '15oA of turny of this cam.. 'the @hauleduancing instrumentalities 15 are returned to their initial. position and. remain there forti-1e 'remainiler of the 3609-, thatis, the subsequent 60. The curve representingthe 'locking cams shows that the cross-head 85 'remains stationary during'the first 180.c2 turn of the locking Gams 88 and eiland the feed cam 14. That is, the lugs 8,9 and 8,9" on the cross-head donoteoeage the sprockets 5B aus 5J While the @haine-54 and 54 er@ beine advanced., When-thc chains, 5,4 and. 54.' have been, advanced by the chain-advancing instrumentality 15 i0 iis the-,locking cams. fforce the cross-.headA` 8.5 away 'from' the "shaft 1.1i, fthe l catch lon the voross-l;i-;=.a cl engaging the sprockets yi6. and 'lwand locking them. The sprockets 56,and: 51: remain lockedloy the. crossghead remaining in its position most ref mote from the shaft 1I until the chain-advancing instrumentalities 15 have been-returned by the ieedcam -14 to their-initialpositiomthe latchl onthe chaineadvancing instrumentalities having passed over` and engaged thenext succeeding lug 12fon1thechains. The sensing cam llrve Shows that theconducting'hloclrfllflV is raised toL complete the crcuit'between the sensing pins 3,8 andthe belt :Elfseveralmoments after or 15 afterthe chains y54 and 5.1i.y haue.v been advanced. The cir-` Ycuitremains closed for only the subsequenty 609 tum of the sensing Gams. l92 and 93 after which time the circuitis'again broken and the conduct; ingblock 411s again'lower-ed. Whereas the high portion of-the'sensing cams are shown as cono-` prising 02, the high portion of rthese cams can continue ior'as much as 9,0. When more than one circuit control unit controls one particular color area (see Fig.'14 enough time must elapse between theopeningof` the circuit inl one circuit control unitand'thefclosing of the circuit inane other circuit control unittoallow for the after` .glow Aof the bulbs..

`In Figs. 11 and 12, thedetail construction .of the sensing pins is illustrated. The table Mis shown `comprisingtwo. rectangular blocks 95 and V9.6 made of insulating-material superimposed one upon the otherandA held together by bolts as at :91. plurality of-rbores or cavities 98 is located within the kknocks whereof the lower portion mil the .upperportion99'of thepassages are oi ak smaller diameter. Plungers Litil formed withheads lag of larger diameter twithin each bore, as shown in Eig.12 lX75/Tires leading from sockets 32 are con.- nected tothe. stationary plungers lo l. The sensing pins 38 formed with enlarged heads Hill are carried within the .lower passage 99 aS, Shown in Fig. 12. Springs ltmaintain the plungers orsensing finger heads 19,4 at; the lowcrmost, part of-'the bores 98. Whereas-the springs are shown .terminating in common planesyit can be seen vthat by `staggering Vthe springs as show-n in Fig- 22,xnore sensing Vpins may be included per unit area of the table. To insure that the belt "el remains flat upon runners l52, rollers ifi-5;. as shown inFigs. 2, 4 ande, are placed atr the fom: corners'of the tableMl. The rollers M35 are-ref lspeci'fively mounted on `shafts |96 which are spring mounted Vin a block |91. `Block .lili .is formed with afbore Hi8 open at thefbottom as at .1.89 and closed at thetop as at H9. Block'ltl is secured to. the'table Mlv by means of bolts H3, The springlll is mountedbetween the top H2 ofthe shaft ['06 and the topi la of theblock, and is; mounted such thatthe rollerhas vertical play and can accommodatebelts 5l ofv various thiokf nesses.

.The conduotng.plate=4.6 shown in Figs. 12 and. 13;,is provided with a layer of insulation Sill on its fupperfsmfface. It is to be noted that as shown in Fig. 12 the sensing pins -38, recipnocating within the bores .9a-and 99, vraise to accommodate the insulating material orlower to. make contact with the` conducting "plate.

:As stated beforein order tofmake a figure op the sign .39 appear animated, a `separate circuit controlling unit 4l)l is required for each color area. In order-t0 makethe'fnmation of the. sign 3l! more lifeflike, it has beencund that several ciriuilest extent or the aetiouoi vthe feed canili; 1'!! cuit olosmguiutsfm are required for eaehfcoior area, each circuit closing unit 40 for the one color area operating successively one after another.

Fig. 14 illustrates the mechanism required to operate a sign comprising banks of four different colors of bulbs |40. Each group of four lamps |40 is mounted behind a translucent disc |42. The banks A, B, C and D control respectively the four groups of colored lights. Each bank is comprised, in this case, of flour circuit control units 40, although it is within the scope of the invention to provide more or less than four circuit closing units 40 in any one bank. The banks A, B, C and D are synchronized such that the corresponding circuit control units in each operate simultaneously `and such that the combined patterns of the patterns in the respective circuit control units will appear on the sign as a cornplete and unified composite of the respective patterns. All the circuit control units 40 in one bank have in common the transverse shafts 61, 1|, asv

shown in the fragmentary view of Fig. 11, on which 'are mounted the separate feedv cams 14, sensing cams 92 and 93 and locking cams 09 and 90 for each circuit control unit in one bank. The cams are so positioned on their respective shafts as to successively close the circuits in one circuit control unit 40 and advance the belt 5| in another circuit control unit 40. The circuit is closed in one circuit control unit X as the preceding unit opens the circuit. As shown in Fig. l1 the conducting block 41 is iup and the circuit is thereby closed in unit X, while in unit Y the conducting block 41 is down and the circuit is therefore open. The four banks, A, B, C and D shown in Figure 14 may also be used to control a group of colored frosted lamps in which case the socket 32 would be provided `with four contacts, each contact to receive a single lamp of a color. The closing of a circuit in any one of the four blanks, A, B, C and D circuit control units 40 would light a lamp of a selected color.

The insulated patterns on the belts employed in` each unit are successively different in outline and so arranged to properly change the outline of the color area on the sign and so present a smooth or life-like movement. In Fig, 15, there is illustrated a possible figure which could be made to appear on the sign. It is shown as comprising four color areas, as illustrated, red |30, white |3|, green |32, blue |33. Fig. 16 is an illustration showing the outline of the insulating material 50 on the conducting plate in the blue circuit contro-l unit and Fig. 17, the green, Fig. 18, the red and Fig. 19, the white. Whereas only four colors are illustrated, it is apparent that a chosen area may be colored black by lighting none of the bulbs in the chosen area, and, further, by lighting simultaneously bulbs of respectively different colors within a chosen translucent area other colors may be created. Red and white, for instance, will produce a pink tint. By substituting successive variations of each of these patterns in the proper banks of control units of Fig. 14 the figure of Fig. 15 will appear to be alive. As illustrated in Fig. 14, the four belts in color bank A are in progressively different stages in their progress through the control units and the patterns on any one belt are in this instance, successive fourth outlines of the moving color area. Obviously, in a bank comprising more or less than four circuit control runits, each belt in that bank will be comprised of more or less than every fourth successive outline of the moving color area.

As shown in Fig. 20, the current viowing through the sensing pins 38 need not necessarily flow through the light bulbs, not shown, in sockets 32. The sensing pin` 38 is shown electrically connected at H4 to the electromagnet ||5 of a relay H6. The other terminal of the electromagnet ||1 is electrically connected to an electric power source I I8. The other side of the power source is electrically connected to the aforementioned conducting block 41. One terminal 33 of the light bulb socket is connected electrically at |2| to the movable `arm |I9 of the switch |205 of the relay H6. The other-terminal |21 of the switch |20 is connected to the electrical power source |22 to which the other terminal 34 of light bulb :socket 32 is also connected. It can be seen, therefore, that the circuit closing unit 40 operating in the same manner as heretofore described will now energize the relay I6 and thereby closing switch |20 which will permit current to ow from the power source H8 through closed switch |20 and the light bulb in socket 32 and thereby illuminate the bulb. It is to be recognized that there must 'be the same number of relays as there are light bulbs on the sign and the same number of sensing pins as relays.

Whereas the belt 5| has heretofore been referred to as being flexible, it is also possible to construct the belt of stiff plates hinged one to another to form, a continuous-belt |23 as shown in Fig. 21. At spaced intervals, the shaft |24 to which the plates are hinged extends laterally beyond the lateral edges of the plates 46. A belt of this type is fed in the same manner through the circuit closing unit 40, as heretofore described. However, below the unit 40 in which such a belt comprising hinged plates is used, l'a rack |25 is provided on which the belt |23 is folded and supported and moved by gravity from the rear to the front of the unit 40 for return through the unit. (In Fig. 21 the rear of the lunit is at the left and the front of the unit is at the right.) The carriage |25 comprises two parallel bars |26 sloping from the rear of the unit to the fro-nt. Thus it can be seen that the extending hinge shafts |24 will rest upon the carriage bars |26 and the plates will hang to form a stack which is continually moving downward, the plates being stacked at the rear and withdrawn from the stack at the front.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the composition, configuration and disposition of the component elements going to make up the invention as va whole as well as in the selection and combination of particular features for specific purposes, and no limitation is intended by the phraseology in the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lickerless, illuminated, animated display sign having a display field, said display field comprising a continuous array of separate translucent areas, electric lamp means for separately illuminating each said area, means for preferentially il"- luininating selected areas of the display field according to a predetermined animation pattern, and including control mechanism comprising a bank of at least two circuit closers, each circuit closer comprising an endless belt of conductive plates, a bank of sensing pins in each circuit closer and arranged in fixed relation to a reciprocating contact plate, each said sensing pin having individual line connections extending to individual lamps in the display eld of the electric sign, the corresponding sensing pins of each bank having connections to a single lamp, means for intermittently advancing each belt of plates one plate length between the contact plates and the sensing pins, separate locking means operable by the belt-advancing means to hold a plate in position, means for moving the contact plates and force the so-positioned superjacent belt plates into contact with the banks of sensing pins, masking indicia on each plate dening a completed picture, the said circuit closers respectively carrying sequential image dening masks, and means to progressively actuate plates of the said several circuit closers in predetermined sequence, each successive circuit closer operable to effect circuit closing during the terminal dwell of the immediately preceding circuit closer whereby to effect iiickerless animation.

2. Animated sign system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each separate translucent area of the display field is illuminated by unitary electric lamp means.

3. Area illuminating means according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of electric lamps.

4. Area illuminating means according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the lamps are vari-colored.

GEORGE H. RUFLE.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 622,608 Cox Apr. 4, 1899 1,065,513 Eubank June 24, 1913 1,092,977 Compos Apr. 14, 1914 1,189,419 Bach July 4, 1916 1,203,049 Recke Oct. 31, 1916 1,218,015 Tarbox Mar. 6, 1917 1,222,083 Dickerson Apr. 19, 1917 1,222,093 Fricke Apr. 10, 1917 1,394,565 Long Oct. 25, 1921 1,419,256 Hammond June 13, 1922 1,462,875 Stoddard July 24, 1923 1,490,092 Centoni Apr. 15, 1924 1,835,912 Sprague Dec. 8, 1931 1,961,578 Bowers June 5, 1934 1,965,206 TarboX July 3, 1934 1,967,150 Presti July 17, 1934 2,210,382 Rufle Aug. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 542,642 France May 19, 1922 568,570 France Dec. 24, 1923 592,487 France May 1, 1925 

